Q: What is the Westville Unified Sports program, and how will the proposed gym expansion impact it?
A: Westville Unified Sports is an incredibly proud, inclusive Special Olympics program that joins students with and without disabilities on the same team to train, play, and compete side-by-side. Guided by the principles of friendship, inclusion, and the belief that 'everyone belongs,' Unified Sports breaks down stereotypes, builds self-confidence, and fosters school spirit. You do not have to be a varsity athlete to join—it is a space where every student has a place on the team.
• The Space Constraint: While our Unified Special Olympics athletes and partners are deeply dedicated, our severe lack of physical gym space heavily limits their practice times. With 32 separate school and community groups competing for court space, finding consistent training slots is extremely difficult.
• The Gym Solution: Building the new multipurpose event center under Proposition 2 will provide the dedicated space and court schedule times required to expand the Unified program. More students will have the opportunity to participate and wear our colors. Furthermore, having a modern, fully ADA-compliant, regulation-sized facility will allow Westville Public Schools to host regional Unified Sports tournaments on our home campus for the very first time, welcoming teams from other schools and establishing our district as a regional leader in athletic and social inclusion.
If you have questions, please submit them here: https://www.westville.k12.ok.us/forms/bond-faqs
A: Westville Unified Sports is an incredibly proud, inclusive Special Olympics program that joins students with and without disabilities on the same team to train, play, and compete side-by-side. Guided by the principles of friendship, inclusion, and the belief that 'everyone belongs,' Unified Sports breaks down stereotypes, builds self-confidence, and fosters school spirit. You do not have to be a varsity athlete to join—it is a space where every student has a place on the team.
• The Space Constraint: While our Unified Special Olympics athletes and partners are deeply dedicated, our severe lack of physical gym space heavily limits their practice times. With 32 separate school and community groups competing for court space, finding consistent training slots is extremely difficult.
• The Gym Solution: Building the new multipurpose event center under Proposition 2 will provide the dedicated space and court schedule times required to expand the Unified program. More students will have the opportunity to participate and wear our colors. Furthermore, having a modern, fully ADA-compliant, regulation-sized facility will allow Westville Public Schools to host regional Unified Sports tournaments on our home campus for the very first time, welcoming teams from other schools and establishing our district as a regional leader in athletic and social inclusion.
If you have questions, please submit them here: https://www.westville.k12.ok.us/forms/bond-faqs
Q: How do our facility limitations impact student morale and local business revenue?
A: When we host home athletic games or community events, our visiting schools and neighbors see the worn, non-ADA-compliant condition of our facilities. This causes low morale among our students, who feel their home court does not reflect the pride and effort they put into their school. Beyond morale, our single gym forces severe logistical bottlenecks:
• High School boys' athletics is currently forced to practice during the first hour simply due to court limitations. Building the new gymnasium will allow both the boys' and girls' athletic programs to practice at the same time during the 7th hour, expanding available practice times and simplifying transportation for families.
• Our current gymnasium cannot host more than one basketball practice at a time, forcing teams to split court times and pushing practices outside of school hours. Our secondary little gym is not regulation-sized, making it completely unsuitable for full-court varsity practices or competitions.
• Furthermore, because our facilities do not meet modern OSSAA athletic and accessibility standards, Westville is completely disqualified from hosting regional, district, or invitational tournaments. Tournaments are major economic drivers for rural communities. When visitors come to town, they buy gas, eat at our local diners, and shop at our local businesses. By failing to host these events, our school’s tight space causes our local business owners to lose out on thousands of dollars in regional economic revenue every year.
If you have questions, please submit them here: https://www.westville.k12.ok.us/forms/bond-faqs
A: When we host home athletic games or community events, our visiting schools and neighbors see the worn, non-ADA-compliant condition of our facilities. This causes low morale among our students, who feel their home court does not reflect the pride and effort they put into their school. Beyond morale, our single gym forces severe logistical bottlenecks:
• High School boys' athletics is currently forced to practice during the first hour simply due to court limitations. Building the new gymnasium will allow both the boys' and girls' athletic programs to practice at the same time during the 7th hour, expanding available practice times and simplifying transportation for families.
• Our current gymnasium cannot host more than one basketball practice at a time, forcing teams to split court times and pushing practices outside of school hours. Our secondary little gym is not regulation-sized, making it completely unsuitable for full-court varsity practices or competitions.
• Furthermore, because our facilities do not meet modern OSSAA athletic and accessibility standards, Westville is completely disqualified from hosting regional, district, or invitational tournaments. Tournaments are major economic drivers for rural communities. When visitors come to town, they buy gas, eat at our local diners, and shop at our local businesses. By failing to host these events, our school’s tight space causes our local business owners to lose out on thousands of dollars in regional economic revenue every year.
If you have questions, please submit them here: https://www.westville.k12.ok.us/forms/bond-faqs
Q: How does physical education space impact our student body, and how does it relate to local health trends?
A: Physical activity is a biological requirement for academic success. Peer-reviewed pediatric research proves that regular physical education directly stimulates brain-cell growth and neural connections, improving memory, focus, and reading comprehension across all grades. Daily physical activity is also a critical public health requirement: Adair County currently faces a 45% obesity rate, which is significantly higher than the Oklahoma average. Freeing up indoor space is vital to giving 100% of our elementary students daily, structured movement for healthy physical development.
Currently, our elementary grades are scheduled so that an entire grade level must utilize the little gym floor at the exact same time, creating heavy congestion. Our Kindergarten students do have a scheduled PE section, but our Pre-K students must use the coach's lunch period as free play in the gym because no other open slots exist in the daily schedule. Creating a new gym gives us the flexibility to schedule classes safely and uncrowded. Our current gym is also a scheduling bottleneck: 32 different school and community groups actively compete for access to only two gym spaces, providing a combined availability of just 14 class periods during the school day. New state legislation requiring an additional 20 minutes of daily recess for K-5 students further increases the demand for indoor activity space during inclement weather.
A: Physical activity is a biological requirement for academic success. Peer-reviewed pediatric research proves that regular physical education directly stimulates brain-cell growth and neural connections, improving memory, focus, and reading comprehension across all grades. Daily physical activity is also a critical public health requirement: Adair County currently faces a 45% obesity rate, which is significantly higher than the Oklahoma average. Freeing up indoor space is vital to giving 100% of our elementary students daily, structured movement for healthy physical development.
Currently, our elementary grades are scheduled so that an entire grade level must utilize the little gym floor at the exact same time, creating heavy congestion. Our Kindergarten students do have a scheduled PE section, but our Pre-K students must use the coach's lunch period as free play in the gym because no other open slots exist in the daily schedule. Creating a new gym gives us the flexibility to schedule classes safely and uncrowded. Our current gym is also a scheduling bottleneck: 32 different school and community groups actively compete for access to only two gym spaces, providing a combined availability of just 14 class periods during the school day. New state legislation requiring an additional 20 minutes of daily recess for K-5 students further increases the demand for indoor activity space during inclement weather.
Q: What is the actual physical condition and history of our current gym?
A: Our existing gym has a unique history. Originally constructed as a World War II-era airplane hangar, the building was relocated, repurposed as a school gymnasium, and has served generations of students. However, decades of heavy use have taken a severe physical toll, and it suffers from major structural, safety, and mechanical challenges:
• Court Safety Clearance: The playing area surrounding the court boundary has only approximately one foot of clearance from the surrounding brick walls in some areas, creating a severe collision and injury risk during active, fast-paced play.
• Bleacher Hazards: The cut-out areas beneath the home-side bleachers present a constant injury risk for rolled ankles and head injuries.
• Referee Shortage: The district has experienced increasing difficulty securing certified referees because officials are concerned about player and referee safety in our extremely tight gym layout.
• Bathroom & Shower Bottlenecks: There are only two showers available for the girls and three for the boys. Several locker rooms are cramped directly under the gym bleachers, and not everyone has room for a locker. Additionally, there are only two toilet stalls available for the little gym, and there is no dedicated place for PE or youth athletic kids to dress out.
• Water Bottleneck: There is only one water fountain in the entire gym to serve over 70+ kids every hour.
If you have questions, please submit them here: https://www.westville.k12.ok.us/forms/bond-faqs
A: Our existing gym has a unique history. Originally constructed as a World War II-era airplane hangar, the building was relocated, repurposed as a school gymnasium, and has served generations of students. However, decades of heavy use have taken a severe physical toll, and it suffers from major structural, safety, and mechanical challenges:
• Court Safety Clearance: The playing area surrounding the court boundary has only approximately one foot of clearance from the surrounding brick walls in some areas, creating a severe collision and injury risk during active, fast-paced play.
• Bleacher Hazards: The cut-out areas beneath the home-side bleachers present a constant injury risk for rolled ankles and head injuries.
• Referee Shortage: The district has experienced increasing difficulty securing certified referees because officials are concerned about player and referee safety in our extremely tight gym layout.
• Bathroom & Shower Bottlenecks: There are only two showers available for the girls and three for the boys. Several locker rooms are cramped directly under the gym bleachers, and not everyone has room for a locker. Additionally, there are only two toilet stalls available for the little gym, and there is no dedicated place for PE or youth athletic kids to dress out.
• Water Bottleneck: There is only one water fountain in the entire gym to serve over 70+ kids every hour.
If you have questions, please submit them here: https://www.westville.k12.ok.us/forms/bond-faqs
Q: What are the consequences for our school and kids if these propositions fail on August 25th?
A: A "No" vote does not make our facility problems go away—it simply delays the solution while driving up the ultimate cost:
1. Trailers Remain: Our high school students will continue to attend core academic classes in temporary, detached portable trailers that represent a significant campus security vulnerability and suffer from chronic HVAC failure.
2. Rising Construction Costs: Construction inflation consistently runs significantly higher than general inflation. Delaying these upgrades guarantees that our community will pay more in the future for the exact same classrooms.
3. Continued Gym & Ag Bottlenecks: Our 100+ Vo-Ag students will continue training in overcrowded workshops, and our elementary physical education classes will remain packed with entire grades combined on a single floor.
4. Future "Tax Shock" Risk: If we allow our sinking fund millage base to lapse to 0.0 mills, we lose our borrowing capacity. When a major roof collapse, HVAC failure, or academic emergency inevitably forces us to run a bond down the road, we will be forced to ask for a massive, sudden tax rate spike rather than the flat, stable rate we can secure today.
If you have questions, please submit them here: https://www.westville.k12.ok.us/forms/bond-faqs
A: A "No" vote does not make our facility problems go away—it simply delays the solution while driving up the ultimate cost:
1. Trailers Remain: Our high school students will continue to attend core academic classes in temporary, detached portable trailers that represent a significant campus security vulnerability and suffer from chronic HVAC failure.
2. Rising Construction Costs: Construction inflation consistently runs significantly higher than general inflation. Delaying these upgrades guarantees that our community will pay more in the future for the exact same classrooms.
3. Continued Gym & Ag Bottlenecks: Our 100+ Vo-Ag students will continue training in overcrowded workshops, and our elementary physical education classes will remain packed with entire grades combined on a single floor.
4. Future "Tax Shock" Risk: If we allow our sinking fund millage base to lapse to 0.0 mills, we lose our borrowing capacity. When a major roof collapse, HVAC failure, or academic emergency inevitably forces us to run a bond down the road, we will be forced to ask for a massive, sudden tax rate spike rather than the flat, stable rate we can secure today.
If you have questions, please submit them here: https://www.westville.k12.ok.us/forms/bond-faqs
Follow along, stay in the loop, and see what’s happening across Westville Public Schools.
Check out our Westville Social Media Directory for a full list of district-affiliated pages and ways to connect with our schools and community: https://www.westville.k12.ok.us/page/social-media-directory
Check out our Westville Social Media Directory for a full list of district-affiliated pages and ways to connect with our schools and community: https://www.westville.k12.ok.us/page/social-media-directory
Q: Why did the School Board decide not to include a storm shelter in the proposed Event Center bond?
A: Student and staff safety is our absolute priority, and the need for a storm shelter is a very real concern for our families. The decision to remove the storm shelter from this specific bond proposal was a deliberate, strategic choice made by the School Board to protect local property owners from a significantly higher tax increase while still aggressively pursuing a safe shelter for our campus.
Rather than funding this expensive project through local property taxes, the district is pursuing federal safety grants. It will also feature a fully integrated performance and presentation stage. In July of 2026, Westville Public Schools formally submitted an application for FEMA’s Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program grant.
What the FEMA BRIC Grant Will Build: If approved, this federal grant will fund the construction of a state-of-the-art community storm shelter designed to double as a multipurpose indoor activity space. This space will be approximately the size of a standard basketball court, providing a safe, climate-controlled indoor area for daily elementary physical education, recess, and school assemblies. It will also feature a fully integrated performance and presentation stage.
-Two Additional Classrooms: To maximize building efficiency, the grant-funded design incorporates two brand-new classrooms. One classroom will be dedicated to our Westville Band program to give our student musicians a proper, acoustically optimized rehearsal space, and the second is tentatively planned to serve as a Choir room (with final utilization to be determined by the Board). Crucially, the storm shelter's thick, reinforced concrete structure is engineered to act as a highly effective sound barrier, keeping high-volume musical rehearsals beautifully insulated and preventing noise distractions for students in surrounding academic areas.
-Why Westville is a Strong Candidate: FEMA BRIC funding allocations are heavily weighted by population size and community criteria. Westville Public Schools met 100% of the stringent federal eligibility criteria required to receive this funding.
The Bottom Line: Incorporating a storm shelter directly into the August 2026 bond proposal would have dramatically increased the total cost of the project and forced a much larger tax increase on our local property owners. By aggressively applying for the FEMA BRIC grant, the Board is working to secure a state-of-the-art storm shelter and two extra classrooms using federal safety dollars rather than local property tax dollars.
If you have questions, please submit them here: https://www.westville.k12.ok.us/forms/bond-faqs
A: Student and staff safety is our absolute priority, and the need for a storm shelter is a very real concern for our families. The decision to remove the storm shelter from this specific bond proposal was a deliberate, strategic choice made by the School Board to protect local property owners from a significantly higher tax increase while still aggressively pursuing a safe shelter for our campus.
Rather than funding this expensive project through local property taxes, the district is pursuing federal safety grants. It will also feature a fully integrated performance and presentation stage. In July of 2026, Westville Public Schools formally submitted an application for FEMA’s Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program grant.
What the FEMA BRIC Grant Will Build: If approved, this federal grant will fund the construction of a state-of-the-art community storm shelter designed to double as a multipurpose indoor activity space. This space will be approximately the size of a standard basketball court, providing a safe, climate-controlled indoor area for daily elementary physical education, recess, and school assemblies. It will also feature a fully integrated performance and presentation stage.
-Two Additional Classrooms: To maximize building efficiency, the grant-funded design incorporates two brand-new classrooms. One classroom will be dedicated to our Westville Band program to give our student musicians a proper, acoustically optimized rehearsal space, and the second is tentatively planned to serve as a Choir room (with final utilization to be determined by the Board). Crucially, the storm shelter's thick, reinforced concrete structure is engineered to act as a highly effective sound barrier, keeping high-volume musical rehearsals beautifully insulated and preventing noise distractions for students in surrounding academic areas.
-Why Westville is a Strong Candidate: FEMA BRIC funding allocations are heavily weighted by population size and community criteria. Westville Public Schools met 100% of the stringent federal eligibility criteria required to receive this funding.
The Bottom Line: Incorporating a storm shelter directly into the August 2026 bond proposal would have dramatically increased the total cost of the project and forced a much larger tax increase on our local property owners. By aggressively applying for the FEMA BRIC grant, the Board is working to secure a state-of-the-art storm shelter and two extra classrooms using federal safety dollars rather than local property tax dollars.
If you have questions, please submit them here: https://www.westville.k12.ok.us/forms/bond-faqs
Q: Why does Westville have more employees compared to peer districts of similar student enrollment?
A: Westville is proud to offer a much wider range of specialized educational programs and direct student support services than many peer districts of similar size. To operate local, comprehensive programs directly on our campus—such as full-day Alternative Education (which many districts do not offer locally), robust Special Education services, early childhood development, and extensive career-technical vocational programs (like our expanded Vo-Ag and FCCLA chapters)—we invest in dedicated, specialized personnel. This keeps our student-to-staff ratios low, ensures our children receive direct, individual support, and keeps our rural students from having to travel to other towns for vocational or alternative learning opportunities.
If you have questions, please submit them here: https://www.westville.k12.ok.us/forms/bond-faqs
A: Westville is proud to offer a much wider range of specialized educational programs and direct student support services than many peer districts of similar size. To operate local, comprehensive programs directly on our campus—such as full-day Alternative Education (which many districts do not offer locally), robust Special Education services, early childhood development, and extensive career-technical vocational programs (like our expanded Vo-Ag and FCCLA chapters)—we invest in dedicated, specialized personnel. This keeps our student-to-staff ratios low, ensures our children receive direct, individual support, and keeps our rural students from having to travel to other towns for vocational or alternative learning opportunities.
If you have questions, please submit them here: https://www.westville.k12.ok.us/forms/bond-faqs
Q: How can the school project property tax numbers if the final interest rate is not yet known?
A: The numbers provided are projections created by the district’s bond advisor, Stephen H. McDonald & Associates. These projections use estimated interest rates of around 5% and the most current financial information available. The actual interest rate will be determined only after the bonds are sold, following voter approval. Therefore, both the tax impact and repayment schedule are estimates and not guarantees. The estimated interest rates for the general obligation bonds vary based on current and historical financial market data.
Q: Can the school guarantee how many years taxpayers will be paying on these bonds?
A: The financing model currently projects a 16-year repayment period. The actual repayment schedule will depend on the final interest rate, net assessed valuation, and financing structure at the time the bonds are issued.
Q: Why can't the school get a letter guaranteeing the interest rate before the election?
A: The final interest rate cannot be established before voters authorize the bonds. If approved, the bonds would be sold after the election, and the actual interest rate would be determined at that time. That is why the district uses projections from its bond advisor when estimating the tax impact.
Q: Why are the projections based on a 5% interest rate when other interest rates are higher?
A: School bonds differ from consumer loans, mortgages, and corporate debt. The estimated interest rate of around 5% is a planning assumption provided by Stephen H. McDonald & Associates, based on data from the municipal bond market. This estimate is used for projecting costs but is not a guaranteed final rate. The interest rates for general obligation bonds may vary, as they are based on current and historical financial market data.
Q: Did the Board of Education follow the legal requirements of Title 62 when proposing the bond?
A: The district has worked with its financial professionals throughout the process to meet the applicable legal, election, and public disclosure requirements. The district’s Bond Transparency Act information, including the proposed projects, costs, and existing debt, was publicly posted on July 17, 2026.
If you have questions, please submit them here: https://www.westville.k12.ok.us/forms/bond-faqs
A: The numbers provided are projections created by the district’s bond advisor, Stephen H. McDonald & Associates. These projections use estimated interest rates of around 5% and the most current financial information available. The actual interest rate will be determined only after the bonds are sold, following voter approval. Therefore, both the tax impact and repayment schedule are estimates and not guarantees. The estimated interest rates for the general obligation bonds vary based on current and historical financial market data.
Q: Can the school guarantee how many years taxpayers will be paying on these bonds?
A: The financing model currently projects a 16-year repayment period. The actual repayment schedule will depend on the final interest rate, net assessed valuation, and financing structure at the time the bonds are issued.
Q: Why can't the school get a letter guaranteeing the interest rate before the election?
A: The final interest rate cannot be established before voters authorize the bonds. If approved, the bonds would be sold after the election, and the actual interest rate would be determined at that time. That is why the district uses projections from its bond advisor when estimating the tax impact.
Q: Why are the projections based on a 5% interest rate when other interest rates are higher?
A: School bonds differ from consumer loans, mortgages, and corporate debt. The estimated interest rate of around 5% is a planning assumption provided by Stephen H. McDonald & Associates, based on data from the municipal bond market. This estimate is used for projecting costs but is not a guaranteed final rate. The interest rates for general obligation bonds may vary, as they are based on current and historical financial market data.
Q: Did the Board of Education follow the legal requirements of Title 62 when proposing the bond?
A: The district has worked with its financial professionals throughout the process to meet the applicable legal, election, and public disclosure requirements. The district’s Bond Transparency Act information, including the proposed projects, costs, and existing debt, was publicly posted on July 17, 2026.
If you have questions, please submit them here: https://www.westville.k12.ok.us/forms/bond-faqs
Q: Why can't the school just pay for these buildings using state funding, federal grants, or TSET grants?
A: Oklahoma school funding is strictly regulated by state law. Our General Fund and federal grants are legally restricted to operational expenses—such as teacher salaries, classroom utilities, textbooks, and learning programs. It is legally impermissible to use these funds for major brick-and-mortar capital construction.
We have actively applied for and tried to secure funding through the Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust (TSET) legacy grants in the past. While the district has successfully received several smaller operational grants in recent years to support student programs, it is highly unlikely that we will ever be able to secure a capital grant of this magnitude to fund a major physical project like a permanent classroom wing or event center. The only legal and practical mechanism the State of Oklahoma provides for school districts to construct permanent buildings is through voter-approved Sinking Fund bonds.
A: Oklahoma school funding is strictly regulated by state law. Our General Fund and federal grants are legally restricted to operational expenses—such as teacher salaries, classroom utilities, textbooks, and learning programs. It is legally impermissible to use these funds for major brick-and-mortar capital construction.
We have actively applied for and tried to secure funding through the Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust (TSET) legacy grants in the past. While the district has successfully received several smaller operational grants in recent years to support student programs, it is highly unlikely that we will ever be able to secure a capital grant of this magnitude to fund a major physical project like a permanent classroom wing or event center. The only legal and practical mechanism the State of Oklahoma provides for school districts to construct permanent buildings is through voter-approved Sinking Fund bonds.
Q: Why are permanent indoor corridors necessary? Many of us walked between buildings in the rain, snow, and heat when we went to school here, and we did just fine.
A: That is absolutely true, and the resilience of our older generations of Yellowjackets is a proud part of Westville’s heritage. Many of our current school board members, administrators, teachers, and local business owners walked those same outdoor paths between classes in all kinds of Oklahoma weather.
However, while the weather hasn't changed in 45 years, the standards for school safety and academic instruction have evolved significantly:
-Campus Security is Our #1 Priority: Forty-five years ago, school campuses could operate safely with wide-open layouts and multiple unlocked exterior doors. Today, modern school safety protocols require secure, single-point-of-entry buildings. Having students constantly walk outside to detached portable trailers makes it incredibly difficult to maintain a locked, secure perimeter and introduces a constant campus security vulnerability.
-Maximizing Modern Instructional Time: To help our students succeed and meet today's rigorous state standards, every minute of the school day counts. Transitioning outside during severe storms, freezing temperatures, or high heat breaks students' academic focus. Dealing with damp clothes, wet textbooks, and high HVAC humidity in portable trailers creates a noisy and highly disruptive learning environment that cuts directly into valuable classroom time.
-A Commitment to Progress: Just as previous generations of Westville leaders worked hard to improve upon what they had, our goal today is to continue that legacy of progress. By constructing permanent, secure indoor corridors, we are ensuring that today's students have the safest and most focused learning environment possible to prepare them for a competitive world.
If you have questions, please submit them here: https://www.westville.k12.ok.us/forms/bond-faqs
A: That is absolutely true, and the resilience of our older generations of Yellowjackets is a proud part of Westville’s heritage. Many of our current school board members, administrators, teachers, and local business owners walked those same outdoor paths between classes in all kinds of Oklahoma weather.
However, while the weather hasn't changed in 45 years, the standards for school safety and academic instruction have evolved significantly:
-Campus Security is Our #1 Priority: Forty-five years ago, school campuses could operate safely with wide-open layouts and multiple unlocked exterior doors. Today, modern school safety protocols require secure, single-point-of-entry buildings. Having students constantly walk outside to detached portable trailers makes it incredibly difficult to maintain a locked, secure perimeter and introduces a constant campus security vulnerability.
-Maximizing Modern Instructional Time: To help our students succeed and meet today's rigorous state standards, every minute of the school day counts. Transitioning outside during severe storms, freezing temperatures, or high heat breaks students' academic focus. Dealing with damp clothes, wet textbooks, and high HVAC humidity in portable trailers creates a noisy and highly disruptive learning environment that cuts directly into valuable classroom time.
-A Commitment to Progress: Just as previous generations of Westville leaders worked hard to improve upon what they had, our goal today is to continue that legacy of progress. By constructing permanent, secure indoor corridors, we are ensuring that today's students have the safest and most focused learning environment possible to prepare them for a competitive world.
If you have questions, please submit them here: https://www.westville.k12.ok.us/forms/bond-faqs
Today’s volleyball games will start at 4:00 PM instead of 4:30 PM. We apologize for any inconvenience and appreciate your understanding! 💜
The junior high scrimmage that was supposed to be played today has been rescheduled for Monday, August 24 at 6:30 PM at West Fork.
The high school scrimmage will still be played tonight at 7 PM at West fork.
Q: What is the status of our previous school bonds? Where did that money go?
A: Sinking fund levies are local property taxes (ad valorem taxes) collected on your county property tax bill, not a separate school tax. The last major school building bond passed by Westville voters was approved in April of 2015—the 12-year lease-purchase program that constructed our current 4th and 5th-grade elementary building. According to our bond advisors, the final payment on this outstanding program will be made in the spring of 2027. At that exact moment, the 2015 elementary building program will be paid in full, and that specific physical debt will be 100% gone. Every previous bond has been spent strictly as authorized on school infrastructure and is subject to full, independent public audits filed with the State Auditor.
A: Sinking fund levies are local property taxes (ad valorem taxes) collected on your county property tax bill, not a separate school tax. The last major school building bond passed by Westville voters was approved in April of 2015—the 12-year lease-purchase program that constructed our current 4th and 5th-grade elementary building. According to our bond advisors, the final payment on this outstanding program will be made in the spring of 2027. At that exact moment, the 2015 elementary building program will be paid in full, and that specific physical debt will be 100% gone. Every previous bond has been spent strictly as authorized on school infrastructure and is subject to full, independent public audits filed with the State Auditor.
Homecoming Date Change
This year's Homecoming needs to be rescheduled. Our original date of October 2 coincides with the Softball Regionals, in which we are almost certain to participate. This conflict would prevent several of our softball players from participating in the Homecoming festivities.
The new date for Homecoming will be Thursday, October 15, the Thursday before Fall Break. We understand that having it on a Thursday isn't ideal, but after reviewing all available home game dates, this is the best option given the circumstances.
We appreciate everyone's understanding as we strive to ensure that all of our students can participate in Homecoming!
This year's Homecoming needs to be rescheduled. Our original date of October 2 coincides with the Softball Regionals, in which we are almost certain to participate. This conflict would prevent several of our softball players from participating in the Homecoming festivities.
The new date for Homecoming will be Thursday, October 15, the Thursday before Fall Break. We understand that having it on a Thursday isn't ideal, but after reviewing all available home game dates, this is the best option given the circumstances.
We appreciate everyone's understanding as we strive to ensure that all of our students can participate in Homecoming!
Q: How is interest included in the bond amount? Why are net construction proceeds lower than the total bond?
A: This is a crucial financial transparency detail. The principal amounts authorized on the ballot ($2,105,000 for Proposition 1 and $15,955,000 for Proposition 2) represent the maximum bonds that can be issued. Under Oklahoma public school finance rules, all long-term interest, underwriting fees, and standard reserve funds are already factored directly into the sinking fund schedules. This structure is designed to protect taxpayers. By incorporating these financing costs and interest directly into the long-term schedule, the district can guarantee that the tax rate never spikes above the 22.08 mills (if bond propositions 1 & 2 pass). The interest is not 'added on top' of your current tax rate; it is already included within the flat 22.08 mills for the first two years and then would later go to a flat 18.10 mills for the remaining years. Because of these financing costs over the 19-year term, the projected net funds actually available for physical construction are approximately $10,600,000 (principal only) for Proposition 2.
If you have questions, please submit them here: https://www.westville.k12.ok.us/forms/bond-faqs
A: This is a crucial financial transparency detail. The principal amounts authorized on the ballot ($2,105,000 for Proposition 1 and $15,955,000 for Proposition 2) represent the maximum bonds that can be issued. Under Oklahoma public school finance rules, all long-term interest, underwriting fees, and standard reserve funds are already factored directly into the sinking fund schedules. This structure is designed to protect taxpayers. By incorporating these financing costs and interest directly into the long-term schedule, the district can guarantee that the tax rate never spikes above the 22.08 mills (if bond propositions 1 & 2 pass). The interest is not 'added on top' of your current tax rate; it is already included within the flat 22.08 mills for the first two years and then would later go to a flat 18.10 mills for the remaining years. Because of these financing costs over the 19-year term, the projected net funds actually available for physical construction are approximately $10,600,000 (principal only) for Proposition 2.
If you have questions, please submit them here: https://www.westville.k12.ok.us/forms/bond-faqs
🌟 Student Shout-Out! 🌟
We are so proud of Dayci, a senior volleyball player and proud representative of our school and community!
Dayci had a volleyball tournament at Tahlequah Sequoyah on Saturday. In between games, she represented the Cherokee Nation Youth Tribal Council, teaching others about stickball and sharing Cherokee phrases on their campus. Then, she headed back to the court to finish the tournament with her team!
We love seeing our students represent Westville and make a positive impact both on and off the court. 💜
Way to go, Dayci! We are so proud of you! 🐝👏
We are so proud of Dayci, a senior volleyball player and proud representative of our school and community!
Dayci had a volleyball tournament at Tahlequah Sequoyah on Saturday. In between games, she represented the Cherokee Nation Youth Tribal Council, teaching others about stickball and sharing Cherokee phrases on their campus. Then, she headed back to the court to finish the tournament with her team!
We love seeing our students represent Westville and make a positive impact both on and off the court. 💜
Way to go, Dayci! We are so proud of you! 🐝👏
Q: Since the 2015 bond is paid in full next spring, why doesn't our tax rate drop to zero?
A: In April of 2015, Westville voters approved a 12-year bond program to construct our current 4th and 5th-grade elementary classroom building. According to our bond advisors, the final payment on this outstanding program will be made in the spring of 2027. At that exact moment, the 2015 elementary building debt is completely gone and paid in full.
However, when a new bond is approved, what does not disappear is our 6.26 millage rate baseline in the sinking fund. Maintaining this baseline rate is a standard public planning tool that preserves the district's long-term bonding capacity. If we allowed our sinking fund rate to drop all the way to zero, we would completely dismantle Westville’s borrowing power and creditworthiness. If a major physical building emergency occurred down the road—or if our community eventually decided we wanted to build a brand-new high school campus—we would be forced to ask for a massive, sudden tax rate spike to get the exact same funding. Maintaining our sinking fund baseline prevents this "tax shock" and keeps our community's financial capacity stable.
If you have questions, please submit them here: https://www.westville.k12.ok.us/forms/bond-faqs
A: In April of 2015, Westville voters approved a 12-year bond program to construct our current 4th and 5th-grade elementary classroom building. According to our bond advisors, the final payment on this outstanding program will be made in the spring of 2027. At that exact moment, the 2015 elementary building debt is completely gone and paid in full.
However, when a new bond is approved, what does not disappear is our 6.26 millage rate baseline in the sinking fund. Maintaining this baseline rate is a standard public planning tool that preserves the district's long-term bonding capacity. If we allowed our sinking fund rate to drop all the way to zero, we would completely dismantle Westville’s borrowing power and creditworthiness. If a major physical building emergency occurred down the road—or if our community eventually decided we wanted to build a brand-new high school campus—we would be forced to ask for a massive, sudden tax rate spike to get the exact same funding. Maintaining our sinking fund baseline prevents this "tax shock" and keeps our community's financial capacity stable.
If you have questions, please submit them here: https://www.westville.k12.ok.us/forms/bond-faqs
Reminder: Campus tours are happening TODAY at 4:00, 5:00 & 6:00 PM!
Come walk our campuses and see our current facilities firsthand before the August 25 election.
📍 Tours begin at the Superintendent’s Office at the High School Main Entrance.
No RSVP required! We’d love to have you join us!
Come walk our campuses and see our current facilities firsthand before the August 25 election.
📍 Tours begin at the Superintendent’s Office at the High School Main Entrance.
No RSVP required! We’d love to have you join us!
Q: How do school property taxes actually work? Can we keep it simple?
A: Think of property taxes as a cooperative investment in our community’s infrastructure. In Oklahoma, you are not taxed on what your home would sell for (its market value). Instead, you are taxed on a much smaller number called the Assessed Value, which is independently set by the County Assessor at about 12% of your home's total value (minus any Homestead exemptions).
• If your home has a market value of $100,000, its Assessed Value is only about $12,000.
• A 'mill' is simply a standard unit of tax equal to $1.00 of tax for every $1,000 of your property’s Assessed Value.
• On a home with a $12,000 Assessed Value, 1 mill equals exactly $12.00 per year.
If you have questions, please submit them here: https://www.westville.k12.ok.us/forms/bond-faqs
